| UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328116] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 07:24  |
 JGreenslade
Messages: 764
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
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http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_44177. htm
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Our expert disagreed with Russ Andrews assertion that sound quality variations were subjective and not capable of objective substantiation. He said, in the field of audio, the ABX test method was well established and probably one of the most commonly used. We considered that the evidence submitted was not sufficiently robust to show that PowerKords was proven to dramatically reduce RFI which was already on the mains supply and stop further pick up. We concluded that the ad was misleading.
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1. Upheld
2. Upheld
3. Upheld
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328221 is a reply to message #328116 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 12:27  |
Phillip Graham
Messages: 261
Registered: April 2004
Location: Atlanta, GA |
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An interesting read,
You have to have balls of steel to put HiFi Mag ABX perceptive testing up as evidence.
Good for whatever UK gov org laid the smackdown on this...
Phill Graham
Doctoral Candidate
Georgia Tech
"What if they used Silver cables? I bet they would have finished."--Dave Collins
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328312 is a reply to message #328282 ] |
Thu, 27 March 2008 16:07 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 764
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
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| Jon Hodgson wrote on Thu, 27 March 2008 19:38 |
We need more of it, not only are there blatant charlatans ripping people off, but the misinformation they spread hurts real progress.
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A sobering, but important point, John - I couldn't agree more.
If you extrapolate what the ASA have done, if a precedent is set, they should be having a field-day against all manner of snake-oil merchants... Sadly, I suspect Russ Andrews has been made an example of(...). [The] authorities have to be seen to be ‘doing something’. Firstly, we need people complaining to the ASA; secondly, the ASA need the budget to go for them. My suspicion is that their budget is more likely to be spent going after health supplements / medicines etc, and audio is hardly in the same league in terms of threat to the public.
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328463 is a reply to message #328312 ] |
Fri, 28 March 2008 03:02 |
Bruno Putzeys
Messages: 683
Registered: November 2006
Location: Rotselaar (Belgium) |
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I fear the opposite. I was wondering if perhaps the ASA had decided to hit hard at audio snake oil because that way they could be seen doing something without risking a serious fight - as they certainly would if they took a snipe at alternative medicine. Imagine them coming down on homeopathy like that. Hordes of angry members of the public, headed by the High Priest of Shaken Water (aka the Prince of Wales), would descend on the ASA offices, demanding the right to be defrauded.
We live in a world where ignorance is considered a human right, especially ignorance at a large scale.
Have more faith, Bambi. The only right way of dealing with headlights is staring them down.
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328493 is a reply to message #328463 ] |
Fri, 28 March 2008 07:23 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 764
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
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| Bruno Putzeys wrote on Fri, 28 March 2008 08:02 |
I fear the opposite. I was wondering if perhaps the ASA had decided to hit hard at audio snake oil because that way they could be seen doing something without risking a serious fight - as they certainly would if they took a snipe at alternative medicine. Imagine them coming down on homeopathy like that. Hordes of angry members of the public, headed by the High Priest of Shaken Water (aka the Prince of Wales), would descend on the ASA offices, demanding the right to be defrauded.
We live in a world where ignorance is considered a human right, especially ignorance at a large scale.
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Hmm... Not sure whether agreeing with you is a good or bad thing. On one hand, less snake oil would be a fantastic opportunity for the audio industry, but at the same time, I hate to think of people with life-threatening illnesses being duped of their cash by 'alternative therapists' 
If a precedent is set, I believe companies will carry on selling fancy mains cables, but as a 'bling accessory'. A Luis Vitton case won't carry your shirts any better than a Samsonite, but it's a better display of opulence.
Here you go, Bruno: Fuses are considered by some to downgrade musical performance
BTW - Does anyone understand Naim gear? They typically offer 3 or 4 power-supply options for each piece of gear. You can get a pretty low-noise PSU just with an LM317T, a handful of caps and some diodes. Is the rail rejection really bad in Naim designs?
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328524 is a reply to message #328116 ] |
Fri, 28 March 2008 09:40 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 764
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
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Bruno – what I was trying to say is that, as the ASA doesn’t have infinite resources to tackle these firms (audio or medicine) due to the sheer volume of them, and whilst audio is important, I’d rather see their resources directed at the charlatans selling dubious alternative remedies. To my knowledge, bad audio never killed anyone or made them spend their savings on something they were told would cure a debilitating ailment.
Of course, in an ideal world, snake oil merchants would be eradicated from every industry.
I do think you have a point about the ASA finding a ‘soft target’ with Russ Andrews accessories. Whilst he’s one of the biggest players in the ‘audio accessories’ market, I doubt his turnover is 1% of any of the larger players in the alternative remedy industry.
I suspect there’s a parallel to be had here; although very few alternative remedies have any genuine foundation within science, the placebo effect is notorious, and as such, qualified, justly-sceptical doctors sometimes find results in a minority of patients, Likewise, I find that my attitude towards a particular audio setup can have an impact on just how much I consciously enjoy its sound (for example, I will have to rework something I’ve made if I know a joint is cosmetically bad, even though I very much doubt it affects sound). If you’ve just spent $xx,xxx on a particular gadget, you’re going to want to believe it works…
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #328556 is a reply to message #328116 ] |
Fri, 28 March 2008 11:26 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 764
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
Gold Member |
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birds chirping
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #329071 is a reply to message #328116 ] |
Sun, 30 March 2008 09:55 |
JGreenslade
Messages: 764
Registered: April 2004
Location: UK |
Gold Member |
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If I buy one of these cables for my kettle, will it make my tea taste better?
Justin
Audio is a vocational affliction
"there is no "homeopathic" effect in bits and bytes." - HansP
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| Re: UK Advertising Standards Agency takes a stand against Power Cables [message #329289 is a reply to message #329071 ] |
Mon, 31 March 2008 03:26 |
Bruno Putzeys
Messages: 683
Registered: November 2006
Location: Rotselaar (Belgium) |
Gold Member |
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No, it will only make the water boil more melodiously.
Have more faith, Bambi. The only right way of dealing with headlights is staring them down.
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